Tamil Nadu politics is witnessing a major reversal this time. Whether it's the impact of the Dravidian movement or the strength of numbers, no major party has bet on Brahmins this time.

Distance from Brahmins became a 'political compulsion.'

This time, Tamil Nadu politics is witnessing a major reversal. In view of the upcoming assembly elections, not only the DMK and Congress, but even the AIADMK and BJP have not nominated any Brahmin candidates. This is the first time in nearly three and a half decades that the AIADMK has not given a ticket to a Brahmin.

The Dravidian Movement
Not only has it marginalized Brahmin politics in this southern state, but major parties have also refrained from giving Brahmins tickets in this assembly election, and even the BJP, which enjoys Brahmin support, has abstained. The BJP did not declare Brahmin candidates for any of its 27 assembly seats.

In such a situation, questions are being raised whether this is a result of changing politics in Tamil Nadu or a political compulsion. It should be noted that in the All India Alliance, the DMK is contesting 164 seats and the Congress 28 seats out of the 234 in Tamil Nadu's assembly, but neither has given a ticket to a Brahmin. Furthermore, their allies, the Left, VCK, and Muslim League, have also not trusted any Brahmin.

In the NDA alliance, AIADMK is contesting on 178 seats, BJP on 27, and PMK on 18 seats, but no Brahmin candidate has been fielded on any seat.

Jayalalithaa's party also distanced itself.
Interestingly, while former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa belonged to the Brahmin community, nearly 10 years after her death, her party has not fielded any Brahmin candidate. In 2021, the AIADMK nominated former Director General of Police R. Natarajan, who also came from the Brahmin community, but this time, he was denied a ticket.

Who gave tickets to Brahmins?
Actor-turned-politician Thalapathy Vijay's party, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), fielded two Brahmin candidates. Tamil nationalist leader Seeman's party, Naam Tamilar Katchi, also fielded six Brahmins. Both parties chose areas like Mylapore and Srirangam, where Brahmin voters are in majority. Analysts attribute Seeman's decision to field six Brahmins to his anti-Periyar stance in Tamil Nadu. Participating in an RSS-affiliated event, he stated that he would work to dismantle the Dravidian wall. He also openly uses caste and identity in his political messages.

What Political Pundits Say
According to a Times of India report, political analyst Arun Kumar says that the AIADMK enjoyed support from the Brahmin community for decades, but there has been a shift in recent years. After Jayalalithaa's death, Brahmin voters have shifted toward the BJP. This has led the AIADMK to distance itself from Brahmins, but the BJP's avoidance is certainly worrying.

What is the Brahmin population?
Brahmins constitute only 3 percent of Tamil Nadu's total population. Political parties prioritize the larger castes: Muthurayya, Thevar, Vanniyar, and Gounder. Due to their small numbers, Brahmins are not seen as a vote bank. Furthermore, a 69 percent reservation is in place in the state. Dravidian parties have built their politics around the upliftment of OBCs and Dalits.

In Dravidian politics, Brahmins are considered Aryans or outsiders, while non-Brahmins are considered original Dravidians. This is why it is a significant challenge for a Brahmin leader to establish himself as a protector of purely Tamil interests.